Fantasy Football Week 12: Last-Minute Start/Sit Advice For Your Lineup

It’s now or never for some fantasy football owners.

A lot of fantasy leagues are in the final weeks of the regular season, which means playoff berths could be decided in Week 12.

Here’s some start/sit advice for this week’s slate of games. Be sure to also check out our injury tracker for the latest news throughout Sunday.

Quarterback
Starts: Josh McCown (Browns), Eli Manning (Giants), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Brian Hoyer (Texans), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)

Hoyer is worth a start today against a horrendous New Orleans Saints defense that’s allowing the second-most passing yards per game. Bortles and Manning are good starts against poor pass defenses, too.

Sits: Brock Osweiler (Broncos), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings), Blaine Gabbert (49ers)

Taylor is facing a red-hot Kansas City Chiefs defense that’s forced 12 turnovers, including 10 interceptions, during the team’s four-game win streak. Osweiler is playing against a Patriots defense giving up the fewest points per game in the league.

Running Back
Starts: T.J. Yeldon (Jaguars), Javorius Allen (Ravens), Spencer Ware (Chiefs), Thomas Rawls (Seahawks), Chris Johnson (Cardinals), Ahmad Bradshaw (Colts), Jeremy Hill (Bengals), Giovani Bernard (Bengals)

Yeldon is playing against a San Diego Chargers defense giving up 125.9 rushing yards per game. Allen, who’s replacing the injured Justin Forsett in the Baltimore Ravens’ backfield, is facing a Cleveland Browns team that’s ranked dead last in run defense for nearly the entire season.

Ware should be started because Chiefs No. 1 running back Charcandrick West is inactive with a hamstring injury.

Sits: LeGarrette Blount (Patriots), James White (Patriots), Latavius Murray (Raiders), Jay Ajayi (Dolphins), Alfred Morris (Redskins), Karlos Williams (Bills)

Denver has a great run defense and ranks seventh in rushing yards allowed per game. This makes Blount a risky play, and unless you play in a PPR league, White also isn’t worth starting. He’s a bit too touchdown dependent.

Wide Receivers
Starts: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Brandon LaFell (Patriots), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Cecil Shorts (Texans), Eric Decker (Jets), Allen Hurns (Jaguars), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Stefon Diggs (Vikings), Willie Snead (Saints), Rishard Matthews (Dolphins), Jarvis Landry (Dolphins)

LaFell is one of the few veteran pass-catchers who’s active for the Patriots’ matchup with the Broncos, so he should receive plenty of targets. It’s a tough matchup for him, though.

Hurns, Decker, Hilton, Diggs and Shorts all have favorable matchups and should be used as WR2s this week. Matthews and Landry also should be started if they’re active because the Jets’ secondary will be without shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Sits: Chris Harper (Patriots), Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs), Mike Wallace (Vikings), Robert Woods (Bills), Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), Torrey Smith (49ers)

Smith always is a deep threat given his excellent speed, but he likely will be matched up against elite Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson. Wallace is too big-play dependent to be fantasy relevant, and Maclin hasn’t caught more than three passes or reached the 50-yard mark in four straight games.

Tight End
Starts: Delanie Walker (Titans), Gary Barnidge (Browns), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)

The Oakland Raiders have allowed the most points to opposing tight ends in standard scoring leagues, so fantasy owners should feel safe starting Walker on Sunday. Rudolph is another smart play against the Falcons’ 18th-ranked pass defense.

Sits: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Charles Clay (Bills), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Sitting a tight end of Gronk’s caliber certainly is a risk, but you can bet the Broncos will double team him whenever possible and force guys like LaFell, Harper and White to beat them. Gronkowski also has five or fewer receptions in three straight games, with less than 50 receiving yards in two of those contests.

Denver’s defense ranks No. 1 in passing yards allowed per game.

Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images